What is a Meldebescheinigung & why it’s so important for newcomers
When you find a place to live anywhere in the country, the first administrative step to take is to register your address & do your Anmeldung at your local city hall/office.
Doing so, you will receive a registration confirmation: Anmeldebestätigung (or sometimes simply Meldebestätigung). This document contains the following information:
- Registration date
- Moving in date
- Complete postal address
- Complete name & birth date of person registering.
- Mention if it’s main residence or secondary residence.
- Details of the registration office (Meldebehörde), stamp & date.
It acts as an official registration certificate. It will often be required for several other bureaucratic steps in Germany or by private companies (internet, bank, insurance, etc) when concluding a contract.
For foreigners, it’s especially important because passports alone are often not accepted but it does not contain a German address. You need to show your address by showing your Meldebestätigung.
Is there a difference between Anmeldebestätigung & Meldebescheinigung?
In theory yes. In practice no. Both documents contain the same information about you & hold the same value.
- Anmeldebestätigung is provided when your first register, with the original registration date. It shows when you first moved-in.
- Meldebescheinigung is a copy of the registration record, with the date at which the copy was made. It shows that you still live at this address.
You will need a new Meldebescheinigung because in many occasions, administrations & companies will request a certificate that is not older than 6 months. It’s how they verify your address.
How to get a Meldebescheinigung copy?
If you already have done your Anmeldung and you a new registration certificate, you can request a copy at your local registration office (Bürgeramt, Bürgerbüro, Rathaus, or Kundezentrum) in person or online.
Prefer the online variation to avoid waiting times:
- Request a new copy online in Berlin
- Request a new copy online in Münich
- Request a new copy online in Frankfurt
- Request a new copy online in Hamburg
- Request a new copy online in Stuttgart
- For any other city, Google: “Meldebscheinigung online beantragen [city name]”
You might need to provide a copy of your ID card/passport. Expect costs between 5€ & 10€.
Meldebescheinigung – Anmeldebestätigung FAQ
It costs between 5€ & 10€ depending on the city you live in.
You can request a new copy of your certificate your local town hall/registration office and online. You will need to provide a copy of your ID card or passport.
The only notable difference is that a Meldebescheinigung is a copy of the registration records that proves you still live at this address. Both documents serve the same purposes.
Without that document, you cannot apply for a residence permit, register at university, start working or even open a telephone line. It’s the starting point to your life in Germany.
In some cities, you can request copies online but you cannot obtain this document without doing the Anmeldung. This is always done in person.